Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, China, Volume VI

893.00/1–1049

Messrs. Lin Tm-han and Tung Pi-wu to Major General Patrick J. Hurley ⁴⁰

undated

The Four Pledges of the Chinese Communist Party Made on Sept. 22nd, 1937, in a Declaration Issued by That Party

1. The Chinese Communist Party recognizes that Dr. Sun’s Three People’s Principles are necessary in China today, and is willing to fight for the realization of such principles.

2. The Chinese Communist Party will forsake the past policy of military opposition and sovietization that aimed to overthrow the Kuomintang Government, and will stop confiscating land from landlords.

3. The Chinese Communists will cancel the Soviet-Government and practice a democratic government, so that national unification may be realized.

4. The Chinese Communists will abolish the name and designations of the Red Army and reorganize it into National Armies to be directed by the National Military Council and to wait for orders to move to the front to carry on anti-Japanese duties.

Main Demands of the Chinese Communist Party During the Negotiation Last June

1. Realization of democracy in a nation-wide scale

(a) The freedom of speech, press, assembly, organization, etc.

(b) The legalization of the Communist Party and other political parties, and the release of political prisoners.

(c) The practice of genuine local self-government.

2. Recognition of the Eighth Route and the New Fourth Armies

3. Recognition of the Border Region Government and the local governments elected by the people in the rear of the enemy.

4. The lifting of blockade against the Border Region

5. A reasonable share in arms, munitions, medicines, etc., supplied by the Allies.

The Present Political Notions of the Chinese Communist Party

Because there are so many defects in the policy, structure and personnel of the National Government, the Chinese Communist Party thinks, in order that China may coordinate the coming counter-offensive of the Allies to defeat the Japanese, the following steps must be taken:

1. Changes must be quickly made in the policy, structure and personnel of the Government.

2. The Kuomintang must immediately end its one-party rule.

3. The National Government must immediately call a national Emergency Conference of all the anti-Japanese political parties, armies, local governments and public bodies, to reorganize the Government into a coalition government.

4. The present military High Command must be reorganized into a joint High Command.

Enclosed please find the different documents⁴¹ concerning the negotiations.

40. Handed to General Hurley by Lin Tsu-han and Tung Pi-wu on October 23.
41. Not attached to file copy or identified.